


roof escape

by pepperedfox



Category: Kagerou Project
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-09
Updated: 2016-04-09
Packaged: 2018-06-01 07:10:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6507775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pepperedfox/pseuds/pepperedfox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a repost of a fic i had from tumblr! rainy day kidokano while they're attending middle school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	roof escape

“Excuse me, do you know where those girls were going?”

“Them…? Probably the roof.”

“I see, I see.”

“You aren’t thinking of following them, are you? Pervert.”

Kano was ready with a smile. Schoolbag dangling over his shoulder by a hand, he laughed at his classmate. “You’re only saying that because you’re too scared to go yourself. I’ll see you tomorrow with a girlfriend.”

He didn’t have any time to waste with them. If he dawdled the situation was sure to become worse. So he flashed an insulting smirk as a parting gift, a final jab to keep them at bay that he accentuated with a salute as they grumbled.

The hallways were spotted with students floating in and out of classrooms, loud and bright against the grey veil of rain. Kano’d been antsy the entire afternoon, peering outside the windows, taking constant bathroom breaks until the teacher told him to hold it. _I can handle myself_ , Kido had insisted, but when he looked outside all he could think of was the muddy uniform and skinned knees she tried to cover with her umbrella. No matter how early she bolted from school or how late she went to bed, there was no hiding the gum in her hair, the torn socks.

 _I don’t need your help_.

Kido spat it out when he found her behind the shed, hands clenched knuckle-white against a dirty skirt. Though it was a dry autumn afternoon, her hair clung to her face in wet strands. She was shivering. Her clothes were soaked. When he touched her she slapped his hands away.

_Leave me alone!_

Kano did. For a month, he did, afraid of those sharp words that splintered from her mouth, even more afraid if those words would cease to be thrown at him.

Once, he crouched by the kitchen door in the inky blackness, ear pressed against the cold wall.

“We can’t pull them out.” Kenjirou’s voice drifted from the corner. It was scratchy, low, thick with smoke. When he exhaled, Kano could smell the bitterness. “Hiding them won’t do them any good. I’m just as worried as you are, but…”

Ayaka’s voice, sharper, lighter, focused, answered with the intent to cut. “ _Something_ has to be done!”

There were places that children had where even the adults could not intrude. Kano repeated this to himself again and again as he walked. The stairs to the rooftop were empty, and each step he took reverberated like a single, lonely note. He dropped his bag by the door, clenched and unclenched his hands. When he pressed his ear against its surface, only the ceaseless tattoo of rain greeted him like pestering footsteps.

He took a deep breath. His grip on the knob tightened.

“It’s not my problem,” he muttered, and shoved against the door.

A burst of cold slammed into his face and chest. It was raining harder than he thought, and he had to wipe at his eyes to clear his vision. There were three of them—at first, he mistook them for bags on the ground, but when he looked close he saw that one of them was moving. Wrapped in the howling wind was Kido, her fist raised high like some trembling sculpture, her face grayer than the roof’s concrete.

She straddled a girl, who had a shocking amount of red diluting across her face. Down came the fist, smashing on a broken nose. A pitiful wail rose and fell with the wind.

Kido raised her fist again.

“Hey!”

Kido froze, red eyes staring through him before focusing enough to realize that it wasn’t a threat, only a familiar nuisance. She blinked rapidly, her lips moving as though to say something, but nothing came out. Kano swallowed.

“It’s cold,” he managed to say before she rose. The girl on the ground moaned, but Kido didn’t look back at her.

“I—”

“It’s not a big deal, you didn’t hit them that badly, did you?”

“I said I didn’t want—”

“I mean, they look hurt, but they’ll be okay, I bet, and in any case—”

“Kano, shut up!”

Kido, with her head bowed, arms shaking, would not look at him. The edges of her body were faded, as if she was being washed away by the rain. On her uniform, the word _MONSTER_ was scrawled in deep black. “You never listen to me,” she whispered.

“… yeah, you’re right.” It was hard to speak, with how heavy his tongue was. “Sorry. Ah, but isn’t Kido cold? Wouldn’t she like to come inside? I packed too much for lunch today, you know, we can… it’s fine if we share.”

“… that’s a lie. I pack all of Kano’s lunches with sis.”

Her hand was cold, the knuckles bruised purple from the strikes she dealt. As he led her inside it felt limp, with no resistance. It was only when he squeezed it that she lifted her eyes, trembling with tears. “It’s okay,” he said. “If Kido eats with the guys, she’ll be really popular in no time! I bet she’ll be able to find a secret admirer right away.”

“Quit lying. I don’t need to hear it.” Kido wet her lips. “I caused a lot of trouble, didn’t I?”

Kano knew that she didn’t need the answer. When class started again, she would have to face it again all alone. As he shut the door behind them, he could already hear the fading chatter of students returning to their rooms.

 _Do your best,_ the Tateyamas had told them. _You’ll be fine._

Looking at the wavering red of Kido’s eyes, Kano tightened his grip.

“… hey, Kido.”

She flinched as he leaned in, ducking her face behind her hair, but didn’t pull away.

“Let’s run away,” he said.


End file.
